Diascia plant named ‘Dala Reeda’

ABSTRACT

A new  Diascia  plant particularly distinguished by its medium to large red flowers, deep green foliage, compact and well-branched growth habit, rounded and tight plant habit with upright to narrow spreading branches and early flowering is disclosed.

Genus and species: Diascia barberae.

Variety denomination: ‘Dala Reeda’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia,botanically known as Diascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Dala Reeda’. The new cultivar originated from ahybridization made in 2003 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parentis a proprietary Diascia plant designated ‘DSZ-39-6’ (unpatented),having a deep rose flower color and the male parent is a proprietaryDiascia plant designated ‘DSZ-41-3’ (unpatented), having a lilac-roseflower color. The seeds produced by the hybridization were sown in May2003, and the resulting seedlings were selected in July 2003. A singleplant selection was chosen for further evaluation and for asexualpropagation in the fall of 2003.

The new cultivar was created in 2003 in Andijk, The Netherlands and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture micropropagation in Andijk, The Netherlands over a two-yearperiod. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. The presentinvention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Europe onJan. 24, 2005 and in Canada on Mar. 31, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. Medium to large red flowers;    -   2. Deep green foliage;    -   3. Relatively compact and well-branched growth habit;    -   4. A rounded and tight plant habit with upright to spreading        branches; and    -   5. Relatively early flowering.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new Diascia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color; thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures. The photograph is of three 6-month-old plantsgrown in a greenhouse with natural light in a spring trial setting.

The accompanying photograph shows blooms, buds, mature foliage, andplant habit; the inset shows buds and mature inflorescences and buds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Dala Reeda’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on seven-month-oldplants grown in 35-cm-diameter baskets (capable of holding 5-liters ofsoil and three plants each) in an outdoor trial field under poly-coverrain protection. Color readings were taken under natural light. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001 edition). Texturedescription details were observed under a magnifying glass.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Scrophulariaceae.        -   Botanical name.—Diascia barberae Hook.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘DSZ-39-6’ a proprietary deep rose Diascia            plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘DSZ-41-3’ a proprietary lilac-rose Diascia            plant (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Form and growth habit.—Upright with branches ascending and            somewhat outwardly spreading to semi-trailing; freely            branching and relatively compact.        -   Height.—20 cm (from top of soil) for 7-month-old plants to            35 cm (total vertical height) of a plant in a hanging            basket.        -   Width.—65 cm for a 7-month-old plant.        -   Spread (including flowers).—54 cm, from the base of the main            stem to the tips of the branches.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—10-11 weeks for            a 5-inch pot.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Plant in full sun; is            free-flowering through the summer; has some heat tolerance;            use in mixed container planting or mass planting in a bed.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 20 days in the            spring.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Single and opposite.        -   Shape.—Deltoid to cordate.        -   Apex.—Acute to obtuse.        -   Base.—Truncate to weakly cordate.        -   Margin.—Weakly serrate.        -   Texture.—Glabrous and slightly glossy.        -   Immature.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137D to RHS 143A. Lower            surface: RHS 138B.        -   Mature (fully expanded).—Length: 1.6-2.1 cm. Width:            1.4-1.6 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 137A to RHS 137B.            Lower surface: RHS 138B.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Color: RHS 144A to RHS 144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: 0.2-0.3 cm. Width: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS 144A.-   Stems:    -   -   Length: 35-40 cm without the inflorescence.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm as measured in the middle (is square not            round).        -   Internode length.—2.0-2.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143B.        -   Texture.—Smooth and glabrous.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Shape.—Globular and somewhat flattened.        -   Diameter.—0.6 cm.        -   Length.—0.4 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS N57D (pink).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal raceme with flowers in an            alternate arrangement.        -   Blooming habit.—Fairly continuous.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—80.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—3-4 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 9-10 cm.        -   Penduncle.—Color: RHS 143A. Length: 9.0-9.5 cm. Diameter:            0.2 cm or less. Texture: Covered with fine hair.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic; fused at the base; 5-lobed.        -   Quantity (per raceme).—18-20 flowers and buds at various            stages of development; usually 6-7 open flowers at the same            time.        -   Shape.—Salver-shaped.        -   Diameter.—2.1 cm.        -   Depth.—0.5 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Between RHS 46D and RHS 53C. Lower            surface: RHS 53D. Corolla (inside color): RHS 46A; upper            petals have a patch of RHS 13A (yellow) at the base.        -   Petals (lobes).—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Two upper lobes            (mainly fused) with two lateral lobes and one lower lobe.            Apex: Rounded. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth,            papillose.        -   Upper lobes, size.—Length (from the Corolla opening):            0.4-0.5 cm. Width: 0.9-1.0 cm.        -   Lateral lobes, size.—Length (from the Corolla opening):            0.6 cm. Width: 0.7 cm. Spur: Shape: Funnel-shaped and            directed downwards. Length: 0.7 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color:            RHS 60D.        -   Lower lobe.—Length (from the Corolla opening): 1.1-1.2 cm.            Width: 1.6-1.7 cm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Color: RHS 141A. Length: 0.2 cm. Width:            0.1 cm. Shape: Deltoid to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Fused. Anthocyanin: Absent. Texture: Somewhat rough and            pubescent.        -   Pedicels.—Color: RHS 146C. Length: 1.3-1.5 cm. Diameter:            0.1 cm. Texture: Pubescent (very fine).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 4; coherent, arching towards and somewhat            twisting around the pistil. Filament: Color: RHS 187A            (nearly black). Length: 0.3 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Anther            color: RHS 14D (light yellow). Pollen amount: Abundant.            Pollen color: RHS 13A (yellow).        -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1. Length: 0.3-0.4 cm. Stigma color: RHS            143D. Style color: RHS 145C.-   Fruit and seed set: Has not been observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Has not been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Dala Reeda’ differs from the female parent, proprietary Diascia plant‘DSZ-39-6’ (unpatented), in that ‘Dala Reeda’ has a red flower colorwhile ‘DSZ-39-6’ has a deep rose flower color. The leaves of ‘DalaReeda’ are differently shaped than the leaves of ‘DSZ-39-6’ .Additionally, ‘Dala Reeda’ has a more vigorous growth habit than‘DSZ-39-6’.

‘Dala Reeda’ differs from the male parent, proprietary Diascia plant‘DSZ-41-3’ (unpatented), in that ‘Dala Reeda’ has red flowers while‘DSZ-41-3’ has lilac-rose flowers. Additionally, ‘Dala Reeda’ issomewhat taller and has a more upright plant habit than ‘DSZ-41-3’.

‘Dala Reeda’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Diastonia’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 14,466) in that ‘Dala Reeda’ has larger flowers, a morecompact plant habit, and flowers earlier than ‘Diastonia’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant as shown and describedherein.